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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22979023">From the Fog</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/arluinuial/pseuds/arluinuial'>arluinuial</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Farmer [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stardew Valley (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Absurd, Comedy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 16:22:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>450</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22979023</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/arluinuial/pseuds/arluinuial</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A new farmer has arrived in Stardew Valley and the other residents have found that the newcomer is a little strange and vaguely sinister. Shane is particularly perturbed by his first encounter with the Farmer.</p><p>This is one story in a series of short scenes involving villagers and their encounters with the Farmer.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Farmer [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1651357</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>50</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>From the Fog</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hungover and exhausted, Shane trudged out of his Aunt's house into a dense morning fog. He scowled at the weather, dreading the long walk to JojaMart. At least the chilly mist was good for his hangover, obscuring the sunlight and muffling the crowing of a particularly persistent rooster. Still, it wasn't much consolation as he lurched towards the path through the soupy murk and realized he could barely see a foot in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lost his footing and stumbled, a sharp pain hammering behind his eyes. Shane nearly puked. The hangover was worse than he'd thought; he'd definitely be late to work. What a great fucking morning so far.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he'd recovered from his sudden nausea, Shane began his shuffling commute towards Pelican Town, slowed by the fog and the pounding in his head. Wallowing in his own misery, he missed the fog-dampened crunch of footsteps on the path ahead. He was unaware of someone advancing on him until they were right in front of him, a shadowy figure materializing in the vapor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Startled at the sudden presence, Shane jerked his bleary gaze up from his feet and rocked back, nearly tumbling over. He almost never encountered anyone on his way into work. Running into someone this early was unusual enough, but worse, this was a complete stranger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The interloper halted, blocking Shane's path. Dressed in overalls and a wide brimmed straw hat, the stranger stared him down but said nothing. Shane stared back, confused and uncomfortable. Last night at the saloon he'd heard someone mention a new farmer in town. Judging by the outfit, that was likely who accosted him now. This was weird, and Shane didn't like it at all. A bead of cold sweat prickled the back of his neck, and he eventually broke the silence in a surly bid to ward the newcomer away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" Shane snapped, wearing his meanest expression. His irritation masked his growing unease. "What do you want? <em>Go away</em>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Farmer did not reply but instead reached into an overall pocket, fished something out, and took a step closer to Shane.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you want? Leave me alone," Shane growled and recoiled, but the intruder remained undaunted. Closing the gap between them, the outsider took Shane's hand and dropped something small into his palm. Then, just as suddenly as they'd appeared, the weirdo in overalls was gone again. The Farmer moved past Shane and melted away into the gloom. Shane stood frozen, perturbed at the surrealism of the encounter, and finally glanced down at the unwanted gift from the Farmer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What the <em>fuck</em>?" He whispered, his words swallowed up by the fog. In his hand was a lone hot pepper.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was inspired by my latest run of Stardew Valley, where I accidentally befriended Shane because I had a fortuitous hot pepper harvest and just kept waylaying him on his way to work to gift them to him. I realized how creepy that would be in a real life context, just minding your own business walking to work early in the morning and having a stranger shoving single hot peppers at you every day. Super weird.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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